Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-26

II these are not selected it may be possible
that the choice will he Brig. Gen. Armand,
Marquis de Ia Rouerie, chief of cavalry of
the continental army under Washington.
who impoverished himself in bringing sup
plies for his troops from France, or it may be
Count de Eercennes. prime minister under
Louis XVI during the American revolution.
As to the choice Of this monument of
LAFAYETTE understand that the commission
were aided in their selection of it by two of
the most eminent artists in the country, who
were also friends of BSrtholdi There is no
doubt but the COMMITTEES have made the best
selection Of the models presented. and thar
they have secured an extraordinary WORK Of
art at a very low price. The reputation Of
the two artists. NM Falguiere and Mcrcie,
is very high in Paris. and no better comment
upon the choice of their model can be made
than is found in letter which the sculptor,
Daniel c. French, who by the way was one
of the competitors for the work, wrote from
Europe to one Of the commission He writes:
have heard, not officially. that the commission n
for the Lafayette statue has been given TO Fai-
guiere and Mercie. and / want To take this op
portuuty TO tell you rejoice in the prospec. of
having q great work from the hands Of these
famous and gifted men, and TO congratulate yor
on your decision Yours, very truly.
DANIEL c. FRENCH.
Washington is fast improving as an art
center. Nearly every one of the many ''cir-
clesn Of the city has its statue, and there is
hardly place in the whole town where you
can get out of sight of great man in bronze
or marble In Lafayette square, opposite
the White House, Andrew Jackson sits on a
bronze horse, which for the last thirty years
and more has stood upon its heels, and lit
tie further down Pennsylvania avenue George
Washington has braced himself in his STIR
rups upon another dashinS steed. Clark Mills
made these two statues and got SO, 600 apiece
for them His Jackson is much laughed at by
critics, and it is said to be the first equestrian
statue he had ever attempted to model
When he was making the statue the critics
said that it would never stand upon its heels,
as he claimed, but by making the front part
of the horse hollow and its tail solid he has
secured a perfect balance, and the strongest
wind blows against it in vain Gen. Nc
Pherson and Gen. Thomas have each an
equestrian statue in Washington, and as
passed McPherson's the other day noted
that the birds had built q nest upon one Of
McPherson's feet and under the shadow Of
the protecting stirrup. Gen. Scott has d
statue on SCOTS circle, and the pedestal Of
this statue cost $4,000. There is also a
statue Of Scott at the Soldiers home, and
Admirais Farrasut and Dupont are embodied
in bronze in the circles which commemorate
their names.
The two sitting statues of the capital are
those of Chief Justice Marshall and George
Washington. Washington's statue is the
naked marble one which stands in front Of
the Capitol, and Marshall's is bronze statue
by Story, who has put the chief justice in h.
judicial robes in bronze chair. The statue
cost k&QyOO0, THOMAS }. TopD.